


Footlights

by Megs1001



Category: Station 19 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, M/M, What-If
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:13:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26060200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Megs1001/pseuds/Megs1001
Summary: What if Victoria Hughes didn't quit the theater for firefighting? What if she continued acting? Would she still have met Lucas Ripley? Would they still hook up if circumstances were different?
Relationships: Michael/Travis Montgomery, Victoria Hughes & Travis Montgomery, Victoria Hughes/Lucas Ripley
Comments: 70
Kudos: 61





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by an idea put forth by MadNephelite https://twitter.com/madnephelite/status/1297316453163716609?s=09

"C'mon, it'll be fun... please?"

"No! Absolutely not. No, don't you look at me with those eyes! Those sad, puppy dog eyes are not going to work on me, I'm immune. Are you serious? No! It's our only day off this week and I am not spending it sweating my ass off on some hard metal bench, watching a bunch of overgrown, under-intelligent cavemen beat each others' tiny brains in just for kicks... and since when do you even like football?" Victoria Hughes asked exasperatedly, punctuating her rant by slamming her locker door shut.

"Not football, football... it's Australian rules football. Totally different and way more interesting," her best friend Travis Montgomery protested, refusing to give up. "Please, just go with me? When do I ever ask you for anything?"

"Uh... hello? How about the twenty bucks you borrowed the week before last or the lunch I bought yesterday when you forgot your wallet or how about when you needed help lugging your new mattress up 3 flights of stairs? Who did you call? Not Ghostbusters," she asked, head cocked, hand on her hip.

"Oh my gawd, really? Here," he dug in his pocket, pulling out a crumpled ten dollar bills and a few ones, "that's all I've got till payday, now please, just say you'll do this for me and go tomorrow?"

Rolling her eyes, Vic pushed the money back at him. "What's his name?" She asked with a sigh.

"What are you talking about? Can't I just want to get some fresh air and spend a little quality time with my best friend?" He asked, a little too innocently.

"Trav, you know I love ya, but you're nothing if not predictable. If there's a new hobby, there's got to be a new guy involved... cooking lessons for the cute chef, hot yoga with what's his face, modeling for art boy, cycling so you could get the dude at the bike shop's number, need I continue?"

"Fine, fine... his name is Michael, okay? He's a firefighter and he's really great. I met him at the gym two days ago and he mentioned playing in a local league with some other firefighters. I think we really connected and I wanted so badly to impress him, so I kinda told him I love Aussie football and he invited me to scrimmage with the team," Travis said in a rush.

"Dude, wait, you mean you're actually playing? Like we're not just going to watch? You. Playing football. Oh, this one takes the cake. I can't believe you lied, well yes, I can... and you told him you play football. You're gonna get pulverized!" Vic cackled.

"I know! That's why you've got to help me! And wait, did you just say you're going?" He asked, perking up. "Yes! Thanks, Vic!" He threw his arms up in celebration and ran off before she could change her mind, hollering over his shoulder, "No take backs!"


	2. Chapter 2

"Go on, you can admit it, you're actually enjoying yourself!" Travis said with a grin, nudging Vic's shoulder.

"Well, I suppose there are worse ways to spend an afternoon, I mean, I have absolutely no clue what they're doing or who is winning, nor do I really care," she said with a shrug, "but the scenery sure is top notch." 

Vic smirked then leapt to her feet, whooping as one of Michael's teammates ran by with the ball. "Like that blond one with the great ass... I dunno the quarterback or left fielder or whatever, I have no idea, but mmm... he looks good with his hands," she said sitting back down and taking a sip from her sports bottle.

"Plus, this thermos full of piña colada totally helps," she continued, "and the fake sling thing was pretty ingenious of me too, if I do say so myself, but what are you gonna do for next week's game?"

"I dunno, I guess it depends on how things go off the field," Travis said, waggling his eyebrows, "c'mon, the game's over. Let's go say hi."

Vic followed Travis down off the bleachers, but held back as he approached a cute, dark-haired guy loading an equipment bag. She glanced around, admiring all of the masculine "scenery" as she termed it. 

She spotted one of Michael's teammates off to the side, gingerly testing a sore ankle. "Mmm... hello, Mr. Tight End," she murmured to herself, watching as he attempted to tape the injury. 

"Hey there, it helps if you kinda loop it back across, no, the other... no, not like that, wait... oh, just, may I?" She huffed, holding out her hand for the tape.

The man just chuckled and shook his head at her bossiness, handing her the roll of athletic tape. Vic made quick work of wrapping his ankle.

"There, now you want to make sure you get some ice on it and rest it for a day or two," she said, standing and dusting off her hands.

"You're pretty good at that, are you a doctor?" He asked, smiling at her.

"No, dancer, actually. Not enough money or patience for that kind of schooling, but I've definitely got plenty of experience with ankle strains," she smiled back at him, thinking for an older guy, he was pretty hot.

"Hey, Vic... you ready?" Travis asked from behind her, interrupting her reverie.

"Yeah, sure, just finished," she said, then turning back, shook her finger at the bemused stranger. "Remember, RICE that ankle!"

"Yes, ma'am!" He gave a mock salute. "Will you be back next week to check up on me?" He asked, somewhat hopefully.

Vic shrugged coyly. "You never know... it could happen." She crinkled her nose and winked at him with a grin, before darting after Travis.

Lucas Ripley watched her leave, still slightly dazed at being caught up by the beautiful and vivacious whirlwind that was Victoria Hughes. "You've lost your mind, old man," he muttered to himself, but still he couldn't help but smile and wonder.

"Hey Mikey, who were your friends?" He asked, approaching his teammate and fellow firefighter.

Michael glanced up shyly and answered, "Oh, that's Travis, from my gym. We're gonna have dinner later."

"Huh... so, uh, the woman he was with, they're, uh, not together then?" Lucas asked, trying and failing at not appearing too curious.

"Ha, well, I sure hope not," Michael grinned. "All I know is her name's Vic and I think they work together, but you talked to her more than I did. Hey, you're single now, maybe we can double date sometime?"

Lucas shook his head ruefully, "Nah, man. I'm barely divorced and a girl like that'd never go for an old guy like me. She was just helping me with my bum ankle. I tweaked it on that last go 'round."

"Eh, you never know, maybe if things work out with Travis, I can do a little reconnaissance... find out if she's interested?" Michael said, looking thoughtful.

Lucas laughed, waving him off as he turned to leave. "Right, well, we'll see. Enjoy your dinner, man."


	3. Chapter 3

"Please, Lucas? C'mon, it'll be fun!"

"Absolutely not. Theater and fun are not two words I would put in the same sentence. Pick something else, anything else," Lucas Ripley said firmly with an emphatic shake of his head, that his sister couldn't see over the phone.

"But I haven't seen you in ages and it's almost my birthday, please? How could you say no to my birthday wish?" His younger sister, Jennifer wheedled.

Lucas sighed. He knew exactly how she looked with those big, sad eyes that he could never refuse, but that didn't mean he wouldn't try. He'd mostly raised her on his own and was a sucker for his baby sister, a fact she knew all too well. "Your birthday was in March," he pointed out, lamely.

"Lucasss, come on, it's one show. A nice dinner and two hours in the climate-controlled comfort of a theater... unless... maybe you have other plans? Is that it, do you finally have a date? My big brother, the twice divorced monk?" She asked, excitement rising in her voice.

For a moment, Lucas nearly considered finding a date, just to get himself out of the torture of sitting through a musical, but quickly discarded the idea as too much effort. Deception wasn't really his style either. 

A brief encounter from a few months back flashed through his mind. A chance meeting with a bubbly, attractive young woman in the park, but despite watching for her, Lucas hadn't seen her at any more of their games. He'd spotted her friend, Travis on the sidelines a time or two and had almost asked Michael about her at least a dozen more, but thought it might be weird. He made it a point to stay out of his subordinates' social lives and suspected somehow that asking his junior firefighter for his new boyfriend's best friend's phone number might be overstepping.

"Oh, so now I'm treating you to a show *and* dinner?" He asked, resignedly. "I suppose you're going to want to go someplace fancy with a dress code too, right? You know after wearing a coat and tie all day and half the nights for work that I just like to be comfortable on my off hours."

"And I suppose if it were up to you, we'd eat at that tacky, little diner you like?" Jennifer said with a giggle. "Don't be silly, that's... hold on, did you just agree to go? Yes! I knew you'd come around! Thank you, thank you, thank you! You're the best big brother ever! I'll forward you the link for ticket! Bye, Lukie, I love you!"

"I love y..." he started to say, but the dial tone cut him off, she had already hung up. He couldn't help but chuckle at her exuberance. 

"I love you and I love hanging out at my tacky, little diner but I do *not* love musical theater," he said to the now-silent phone. Rubbing a hand over his face, he sighed again. He was going to be in for a long evening all too soon.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may have mentioned that I don't particularly care for musical theater, ha, and I'll admit I've only seen parts of this movie so any mistakes or inaccuracies are mine. 😉

"You know... for someone who complained so much about getting dressed up, you sure cleanes up nicely, big brother," Jennifer said, straightening Lucas' tie.

Lucas smiled at her fondly. "Couldn't let everyone wonder who the scrub escorting you was now, could I? Although... maybe if I'd worn my jeans and tennies, maybe they wouldn't have let me in?" He mused thoughtfully, tapping his chin.

"Luuuke, don't be silly! I think you'll really enjoy the show if you'll let yourself. Just keep an open mind, okay? For me?" Jen said with a laugh as they continued down the street towards the theater.

"What's this thing called again, 'I Dream of Jeannie'?" Lucas asked, feigning ignorance.

"You know very well it's called 'Dreamgirls', silly. 'I Dream of Jeannie?' Really, Lucas?" Jen rolled her eyes, exasperated at her brother's lame joke.

Lucas held the door and followed Jennifer into the plush art deco-style theater, admiring the classic architecture while noting the emergency exits and fire extinguishers out of long-standing habit.

Not long after the uniformed usher directed them to their seats, the house lights were dimmed and Lucas settled in, half-wishing had thought to pre-arrange an "emergency" to call him away. But as attractive as the idea was, he mentally chastised himself for it. It would be pretty selfish for him to abandon Jennifer like that. She'd moved to Spokane shortly after grad school and he didn't see her nearly as often as he'd like. In his mind though, she was still the rebellious teenager he'd taken in after their parents' deaths and it was second nature to worry about her.

Looking over at her, his heart warmed by the look of pure joy and excitement on his sister's face. If all it took to make her this happy was suffering through an agonizing evening set to three part harmony, so be it. A cold beer sure would make it more tolerable though, he thought to himself, suppressing a sigh. 

Feeling his eyes on her, Jennifer glanced at Lucas and smiled, patting his hand and nodding towards the stage. Lucas grinned back, then tried to focus on the performers 

The music wasn't half bad, he admitted to himself, it was the vintage sort he remembered his mother singing along and dancing around the house to when he was a child. He couldn't help but smile at the memories. 

His reminiscing was interrupted as one of the singers let loose with an attention-grabbing solo. Lucas leaned forward, captivated; her voice was amazing. Even though the song wasn't ordinarily his style, something about her just drew him in. He squinted to get a better look, but the stage lights were bright and it was hard to make out her features from this angle. He looked around for the playbill he'd been handed when they entered, but didn't see it. It must have fallen under the seat but was lost in the darkness. He considered asking Jennifer for hers, but decided to wait so as not to disturb her.

Lucas found himself almost disappointed when the first act ended and the house lights came on for intermission, then he remembered his missing program and ducked under the seat looking for it. Ignoring Jennifer's questioning look, he quickly flipped to the cast photos. 

"Deena... Victoria Hughes... photo not available? You've got to be kidding me! How can you not have a photo of the star of the show?" He grumbled, tossing the booklet aside. But at least now he knew her name.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys love me, right?

"Ah, one, please," Lucas requested, stepping up to the box office window and sliding his credit card through the slot.

The ticket agent cocked her head to the side and asked, "Weren't you just here yesterday?"

"I'm a big fan of the show," Lucas mumbled, blushing furiously. Truthfully, this was is fifth visit, but his pride kept him from pointing that embarassing detail out.

"But please, if you could, I'm kind of pressed for time. The show's about to start any minute," he pleaded.

She winked at him over her glasses and tapped away at her keyboard before her smile turned to a frown. "Hmm... looks like we might be sold out tonight," she said, dismayed.

Crestfallen, Lucas swallowed against the sharp pang of disappointment. "Well, thanks for trying, guess I should've gotten here sooner. Maybe tomorrow, right?" He said, turning to leave.

"Wait, let me check something, sir," she called out, holding up her finger. "Oh good, I do have one single seat, I can get you. Oftentimes, they'll reserve some for VIPs or other guests and then if they cancel or don't show, they release the tickets at showtime. Since the curtain goes up in less than 5 minutes, I think it's safe to say we can take the hold off this one, right?"

Lucas beamed at her, his megawatt smile causing her to flush and think very ungrandmotherly thoughts. "Great!" He said, thrusting his card back to her again, not even minding the steep cost of the upgraded seat. Grabbing his ticket and receipt, he thanked her again profusely, before dashing into the theater.

Having been inside four previous times in the past few weeks, he was now quite familiar with the layout. After accompanying Jennifer, he'd been unable to get Deena, no, Victoria, out of his mind. After his next shift covering as captain of Nineteen, he'd been restless and had wandered around seemingly aimlessly but to his surprise, ended up in front of the theater just in time for the matinee performance.

Unable to help himself, he'd also come back again the next day, only to be disappointed that Victoria seemed to have the day off as the role was portrayed by someone else. The second actress was also a fantastic singer and dancer, but to Lucas she didn't have nearly the same spark as Victoria did and he found himself leaving at intermission. He returned yesterday, snagging one of the few available seats, high in the balcony, only to get called away to a 3 alarm restaurant fire midway through the first act.

Lucas ducked past the usher as she was closing the main doors, then rushed down the aisle to find his seat. Excusing himself multiple times, he squeezed through the narrow row and flopped down in his seat as the lights started to dim.

"Hey, Chief! I didn't expect to see you here! Did they get you a ticket too?"

Lucas jumped, startled by the voice beside him, then turned to see Michael sitting in the next seat, looking puzzled. "Trav didn't mention you were coming..." he trailed off, eyes widening, "or did Vic invite you? I knew you two had chemistry!" He grinned at Lucas excitedly.

Lucas squinted at him, confused. "Vic? What are you talking about? Why would Travis and Vic have got tickets to a play? Are they coming too?"

"Sshhh!!" An elderly woman in a large, feathered hat hissed, turning and scowling at them as the opening music began, putting a stop to their conversation.

By now, Lucas had the show memorized and he found himself leaning forward in his seat, anticipating Deena's entrance. In some corner of his mind, Lucas faintly registered Michael watching him curiously, but he was too focused on the stage to care.

There! As the actress stepped clearly into the spotlight's glow, Lucas froze, his jaw dropping. No wonder the woman who had captured his attention and he'd come to think of as "his" Dreamgirl had seemed so familiar... Victoria Hughes... Vic, the girl from the park. Of course! Lucas felt silly for not making the connection sooner.

"She's pretty amazing, isn't she?" Michael leaned close and whispered in his ear. "I mean, Travis said she was great and I caught a bit of rehearsal but like this? Wow!" He said, earning them another glare and cluck of displeasure from their neighbor.

Lucas' mind was racing. The rest of the show flew by in a blur. He only vaguely noticed Michael pointing out Travis, but for the life of him, couldn't recall his character's name or if he even had one. He desperately wanted to figure out a way to see Vic in person again. But what if she didn't remember that brief, long ago conversation in the park? And she had to be at least 15 years his junior... she'd probably never consider a guy like him. She probably only dated other performers and sensitive artist types with man buns and trendy names like Stone or Oak. He shook his head, he was being ridiculous and it was unfair to assume Victoria would be that shallow just because she was young and beautiful. Besides, a vibrant, outspoken, spunky woman like her would crush a sissy little mama's boy.

After the last curtain finally dropped. Michael tapped Lucas on the arm. "I'm headed around back to wait for Travis and Vic, you wanna come say hi?" He asked. "We're probably gonna go for drinks somewhere close by."

Lucas blinked... hello opportunity, glad you knocked. Bless Michael for presenting him with the perfect opening to spend time with her. "Yeah, sure, that'd be great. I can tell them how much I enjoyed the show. Maybe thank Vic for what a great job she did with my ankle," he said with a shrug and what he hoped was nonchalance.

His stomach filled with butterflies as he followed Michael out of the theater, stopping when Michael spotted a flower vendor on the sidewalk, packing up the last of his wares.

After careful deliberation, Michael selected a bold black and red bouquet of lilies, tulips and some other frippery that Lucas didn't recognize.

"How about you, my man, see somethin' you like? I'm sure you got a special someone who'd like somethin' pretty! Tell ya what, I'll make ya a deal so I can call it a night," the vendor said with a flourish.

Lucas smiled and nodded, pointing at a brightly colored bundle of Gerbera daisies that reminded him of Vic and reaching for his wallet.

"Ha, yesss! Go, Chief!" Michael cheered, causing Lucas' cheeks to redden and the vendor to cackle.

Flowers purchased, they hurried down the sidewalk to the alley that led to the backstage door. Coming around the corner, they encountered a moderately sized group of people waiting for the performers to exit.

As they worked their way through the crowd, Lucas saw the door pop open and people start spilling out. He caught sight of Travis first, then glimpsed him turn back and suddenly, there she was... Victoria. His very own Dreamgirl, he thought cheesily, chuckling to himself at how lame he was.

His light-hearted joy quickly evaporated as he watched her pause, squeal and fling herself into the arms of a tall, broad-shouldered man who'd pushed through the crowd. The alley was poorly lit and brim of his hat shadowed his face, so Lucas couldn't get a good look at him as the guy spun Victoria around in a hug, but seeing her plant a smacking kiss on him was more than enough. His heart sank and he stood frozen, unable to process. All he could hear was the sound of his blood roaring in his ears as his hopes crashed around him.

Michael glanced back and forth between Lucas and the embracing couple, slightly horrified and unsure what to do. "I didn't know, Chief, I swear, I'm so sorry! Trav never mentioned her having a boyfriend, I..."

"It's okay, Michael, it's not your fault. I was foolish to assume... I just got caught up, I guess," Lucas choked out, waving him off. "Hey, do me a favor and don't... don't mention I was here, alright?"

Michael looked uncertain, but Lucas clapped him on the back and slipped back through the crowd before the younger man could protest.

As he walked away, Lucas cursed himself for being eight kinds of a fool. What was he thinking? Not with the head on his shoulders, that's for sure, he scoffed. Spotting a trashcan, he slammed the bouquet into it as he passed. Partway down the next block, Lucas spied a homeless woman huddled on a bench at a bus stop.

Wearily, he ran a hand through his already tousled hair, then struck by inspiration, spun on his heel and backtracked, retrieving the slightly crumpled flowers. Fluffing them back out the best he could, he grabbed remaining bills out of his wallet and tucked him inside the foliage. At least someone would get some enjoyment out of them.

Approaching the woman cautiously so as not to alarm her, he held out the bouquet. "Ma'am, here, these are for you," he said with a faint smile, passing them off and quickly walking away. He had a lonely, impromptu date with a bottle of scotch at home to get to and hopefully, help him forget this disastrous evening.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *waves* Hi! Remember me? I was encouraged to update this, but um, be careful what you wish for, right?

Vic stumbled through her front door, kicking it closed behind her, then cursing the temperamental lock, kicked at it again for good measure, nearly losing her balance in the process. 

She always found herself a bit restless and over-hyped after a show. Often times, she'd grab dinner and drinks with Travis or head to the gym to burn off steam. If it was a matinee, she might take a walk or jog through the neighborhood to get some air; however, tomorrow was an off day, so she and some of the cast & crew had hit the town, eventually closing down the bar. 

Vic didn't usually drink to excess, but sometimes it just felt damn good to let loose. She'd been feeling edgy & oddly tense recently and had briefly considered making a few calls, arranging for a little coed stress relief but even that seemed strangely unappealing of late. 

She dumped her bag by the door and halfheartedly poked at the pile of mail on the table. "Meh... nothing that can't wait till morning," she muttered with a curl of her lip. 

Considering the merits of another drink, Vic shrugged & decided sure, why not, so she poured herself a glass of wine to keep herself company while she removed her makeup. 

Sipping her drink, Vic wandered the tiny basement apartment, puttering around, shutting off the lights, setting the coffee pot for morning & preparing for bed... pausing to frown at the ceiling as the neighbors repeatedly thumped around upstairs. She rolled her eyes and stomped over to grab her earbuds from her bag. "Frickin' inconsiderate elephant assholes," she grumbled, turning on some music and flopped down across her bed, willing herself to sleep. 

As the curtain rose, Vic squinted out into the audience, searching. The hot stage lights were so incredibly bright, shining right in her eyes, making it too hard to see. She fought the urge to break character & shade her eyes, but just barely, a mistake she hadn't made since her first show when she was 12. And geez, the fog, could they have the stupid fog machine turned up any higher? It got thicker, making her eyes water, burning her throat... but wait, fog shouldn't be like that, Vic thought, puzzled. 

Smoke! Vic awoke, startled & disoriented, the piercing shriek of the smoke alarm finally reaching past her noise cancelling headphones & penetrating her dream. 

Shit! She rolled off the bed and onto the floor, fumbling for her phone on the nightstand. Her head felt muddled as she tried to remember the fire safety lessons that'd been drilled into her as a kid. 

Stay low! Pulling the neck of her t-shirt over her face in an attempt to filter the growing smoke, she crawled towards the front door. Check for heat! Vic patted at the door, then the knob, almost crying in relief to find it cool to the touch. That flash of joy was short-lived; however, when the knob refused to turn. Vic scrabbled for the latch, jiggling the handle, but it was no use. 

"Fuck!" She screamed, her now raw throat protesting, sending her into a coughing fit. After the countless instances the stubborn door wouldn't close, now of all times, it refused to open. Vic sobbed, beating at it impotently, her voice hoarse, tears pouring freely down her face. 

"Okay, okay, we can't panic. Think, Vic," she mumbled. Her phone! Where did it go? She felt around on the floor where she'd dropped it while struggling against the knob. There! Her questing fingers brushed against it, nearly sending it skittering away. She quickly snatched it up, dialing 9-1-1. 

"Help me! My apartment building's on fire! I'm trapped in the basement and the door is stuck, I can't..." Vic broke off in a coughing fit, the spasms wracking her body. 

"Listen to me, ma'am, I have fire crews dispatching to your location, but I need you to stay with me, alright? Now you said the door is blocked, are there any windows accessible?" The dispatcher asked with a calmness Vic envied. 

"Kitchen, but *cough* it doesn't open. *cough* Been painted shut," Vic managed to wheeze out, coughing some more. 

"Do you think you could maybe pry it open? I need you to stay as low as possible, but do you think..." 

Vic struggled to focus on what the man was asking but it was getting so tough to concentrate. He sounded funny but she couldn't laugh. Maybe it wasn't funny? What did he want again? Vic squinted fuzzily at the phone, confused. She couldn't think, couldn't make it make sense, couldn't breathe. "Help me, I just really... just need *cough* really maybe could just use some... help," she begged, fumbling for the words. 

Making him understand was too hard and she was too tired. Slumping against the wall, she shook her head, but it did nothing to clear it. It was so difficult to breathe, even where she was, low, near the floor. Vic fought to keep her eyes open. Stay awake! But even that became impossible for her and they fluttered shut, the phone clattering from her hand as she dropped to the tile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A wise person recently told me it's okay to break Vic once in while, sooo... blame her, lol.


End file.
